Final answer:
The five types of social power identified by John French and Bertram Raven are legitimate, reward, expert, referent, and coercive power. These types are based on the roles, rewards, skills, personal attributes, and the capacity to enforce punishments within social structures.
Step-by-step explanation:
The widely recognized five categories of the sources of social power identified by social psychologists John French and Bertram Raven are:
- Legitimate Power
- Reward Power
- Expert Power
- Referent Power
- Coercive Power
These categories are based on different forms of influence and authority that individuals or groups can exercise in social interactions and structures. Legitimate Power is derived from a person's role or position within an organization or society. Reward Power is the ability to grant rewards or benefits to others.
Expert Power comes from the skills or expertise that an individual possesses. Referent Power is based on the personal attributes or charisma of the individual, often involving a sense of identification with them.
Finally, Coercive Power involves the capability to punish or sanction others.
These concepts align with Max Weber's categorizations of authority—traditional, charismatic, and rational-legal—connecting individual behavior to larger social dynamics such as the function of governments and interactions among nation-states.